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Working Papers – Guidelines for Authors

Earth System Governance Working Papers are peer-reviewed online publications that broadly address questions raised by the Project’s Science and Implementation Plan. The series is open to all colleagues who seek to contribute to this research agenda.

In addition to regular scientific texts, the working paper format allows for publications of ideas and concepts that are not yet fully developed into a comprehensive journal article. Published as working paper, these ideas can be introduced to and receive valuable feedback and suggestions from the large and growing community of earth system governance researchers. Working papers can also have a more political character than regular scientific publications. All publications in the working paper series will add to the growing body of literature on earth system governance, and will substantially contribute to a better understanding of the challenges of earth system governance and provide findings, ideas and concepts that could bring the answers to the research questions of the Science and Implementation Plan closer.

We believe that understanding earth system governance is only feasible through joint effort of colleagues from various backgrounds and from all regions of the world. Therefore, while most members of our network publish their research in the English language, we accept also submissions in other major languages.

Submissions of manuscripts for the Working Paper Series are welcome at any time at IPO@earthsystemgovernance.org. Submitted manuscripts will be evaluated by the Earth System Governance International Project Office and the Managing Editor of the series on their fit to the scientific agenda of the Project as outlined in the Science and Implementation Plan. In a next step, the manuscript will be reviewed by one or more experts on the topic of the submitted paper and the authors will be requested to revise the manuscript along the lines of the comments and suggestions resulting from that review process. The International Project Office will process the revised manuscript and publish it as Working Papers online at www.earthsystemgovernance.org.

Working Papers are actively disseminated by the Earth System Governance Project in its communication and network development activities. The Earth System Governance Project does not assume the copyright for working papers, and we expect that most working papers will eventually find their way into scientific journals or become chapters in edited volumes compiled by the Project and its members. Once published in identical, revised or otherwise related version, the working paper will be removed from the website and replaced by a reference to the new publication.